Deadline: 21 June 2020

The U.S. Embassy in Kyiv has announced the 2019-2020 Public Diplomacy Small Grants Program to support projects in academic and educational affairs.

Themes

The eligible themes are described below:

• Projects that support Ukraine’s ongoing educational reform process, drawing on some substantive component of the U.S. educational system, to include the professional enhancement opportunities for teachers of secondary and post-secondary institutions.
• Projects that create or develop collaboration between educational institutions and civil society organizations, local administrations, and businesses to support regional development and decentralization.
• Projects designed to create or enhance career counseling services at Ukrainian secondary and post-secondary educational levels.
• Projects focused on developing youth leadership in the fields of entrepreneurship, finance, innovation, and civic education.
• Projects that utilize U.S. experience to develop and reinforce values of tolerance, diversity, and inclusive education among secondary school and/or post-secondary institutions.

Funding Information

• Estimated Total Program Funding: $200,000
• Award Ceiling: $50,000

Eligibility Criteria

• Ukrainian and U.S. registered non-profit, non-governmental organizations are eligible to apply. Third country organizations are not eligible.
• Participation of U.S. educational experts is strongly encouraged. All the projects should highlight U.S.-Ukrainian academic collaboration or advance Ukrainian educational goals by featuring significant U.S. research, educational approaches, and practical experience. Collaborative, sustained projects, and partnerships between U.S. and Ukrainian educational institutions, are preferred.
• This competition does not support proposals focused on kindergarten and primary education.

Selection Criteria

The Embassy Public Diplomacy Grants Committee will use the following criteria to evaluate proposals received in response to this funding opportunity:

• Program Goals and Objectives/Activities Plan: A clear overview of the project, as well as goals and objectives, should be indicated in the proposal. The Embassy Public Diplomacy Grants Committee will closely consider whether the overall objectives lead to implementing reform goals in Ukraine. Applicants should describe what they propose to do and how they will do it. The proposed activities must directly relate to meeting proposed goals and objectives, and applicants should include information on how they will measure activities’ effectiveness. The Grants Committee will evaluate the activities planned in terms of their relevance to project goals and objectives, the feasibility of the proposed activities, and their timeline for completion.
• Program Monitoring & Evaluation Plan: Proposals should have a clear monitoring and evaluation plan to ensure proper implementation of the project. Projects should identify specific measurable objectives and include a plan for gathering data before and after the project to illustrate whether objectives were met.
• Organizational Capacity: Applications must include a clear description of the project management structure and previous experience with similar programs. Besides general organization information, this section must also identify the proposed management structure and staffing plan for the proposed project. Applicants must demonstrate the ability and commitment to complete the project.
• Project outcome and sustainability: Proposals should clearly state what results they expect to attain and how it will change their institution, field, community, society. It is expected that the projects have a short-term outcome (result of the project itself) and a long-term impact. Applicants are expected to provide their vision for the period when the project funding ends through the period when the long-term outcome becomes visible, which will illustrate how sustainable the project and its concept are without an external funding. It should not be expected that the U.S. Embassy funds the continuation of the funded project in the future.
• Budget: Costs should be reasonable and realistic in relation to the program activities. Applicants are encouraged to provide as much detail as possible so that the committee may determine the extent to which the request represents an efficient use of U.S. government resources. The budget should be consistent with the narrative description of the program and should reflect the applicant’s understanding of the allowable cost principles established by Title 2 CFR 200.306 (part 230) on cost principles for non-profit organizations.
• Cost Sharing: Cost sharing is encouraged; however, it is not a requirement of an application in response to this funding announcement.

How to Apply

Application form and budget spreadsheet must be submitted in English only by email at the address given on the website.

For more information, please visit https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=322295